Circuit connecter



Aug. 9 1927.

Y 1,638,123 R. D. MAILEY CIRCUIT CONNECTER Filed Feb. 1. 1924 IIIINVENTOR 0(0 HIS ATTORNEY Patented 9, 1927.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

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Application filed February 1, um. Serial m5. esacu.

My present-invention relates toelectric switches of the liquid flow typeand particularly to those in which the circuit is made and brokenbetween two bodies of the I conducting liquid of the switch, although myinvention is also applicable to circuit makers and breakers where thecurrent is broken between a solid conductor and the liquid of theswitch. 1

In my device I use a cup of vitreous material which is capable ofwithstanding the the open circuit position of the device is above thelevel of the conducting liquid.- The cup completely encircles the partof the electrode passing into it so that when the main body ofconducting liquid is caused to fall below the rim of saidcup, as bytilting the device or otherwise lowering the level of said liquid inrelation to said rim, the circuit is broken between the main body ofliquid and that part of it which is still in the cup at thetime thelevel of the main body falls below the rim'of the cup. Should it bedesired to have the circuit made and broken between the main body of theliquid and the conductor which terminates within said cup the relativepositions of the said liquid and said conductor can accordingly bearranged, but in either case the arc is broken over the rim of said cup.80, by making the cup of a very .highly refractory material such asfused quartz glass or any other material having physical characteristicsthat will enable it to withstand the action of an electric which is ofordinary glass such as is used electric arc.

secured'therein as by for electrical urposes and in which the cupsurrounding t e end of one of the electrodes is of fused uartz lass.

. It is the o ject o my invention to provide a switch of the liquid flowtype in which the walls of the envelope of the device are not subjectedto the corrosive and deteriorating action of the electric are which isformed during the making and breaking of a circuit through the device.

It is a further object of my invention provide a switch in which neitherthe envelope nor the solid electrodes of the device are subjected to thecorrosive action of the It is also an object of my invention to make andbreak the circuit in a switch between two bodies of conducting liquidtherein using a vitreous material of much .highermelting point than thatof the material of the switch envelope and capable of withstanding thetemperatures incident to an electric are.

In the drawings which form a partof this application Fig. 1, isalongitudinal midsectionview in elevation of a mercury switch having atubular envelope through each end of which is sealed a solid conductor,one of which terminates below the surface of the mercury of the switchand the other of which terminates below said surface and within a, cupof fused quartz which is positioned vert1-- cally in said switch andheld in such position by the electrode which terminates with-,

init and which is of such height as to separate the mercury into twobodies when the switch-is tilted in the plane of the figure and awayfrom said cup.

' Fig. 2, is a view similar to that of Fig.

1 showing the switch inthe tilted position gngi V with the mercuryseparated into two Fig. 3, is a vertical transverse sectioninelevationtaken along the' line 33 in Fig.

the ar- 1 and looking in the direction of rows.

In the embodiment of my device as shown in the-drawings the tubularenvelope 1 has to On this near one of its ends a substantiallycylindrical flat bottomed depression.

bottom is positioned vertically a cup 9 of fused silica which is held insuch position by the electrode 3 which is sealed through of the swltch.

side wall of the cup.

one end of the envelope 1- and which is bent downwardly into said cupand termlmates therein with a loop or hook 8 fittin closely to theinterior of the cup to hold the cup in the desired position in relationto the ot er parts of the device and which is substantially vertical inthe closed position of the switch. Through the opposite ends of theenvelo e 1 is seal'edthe electrode 5' which exten longitudinally. anddownwardly and terminates below. the surface of .mercury 6 of the switchwhich mercury is supplied toa level appreciably above that of the top ofcup 9 1n the closed position In theopen position'of the switch such. asis 'shown m Fig. 2, the mercury has been divided into two bodies by therim of cup 9 over which any are formed in the break- 0 ing of thecircuit is formed without subjection of the material of the envelopewall to such an arcing. It is understood that I am not limited in myinvention to the relative positions of the cup, electrodes, and otherparts ofthe device to that shown the drawing. I intend my invention tocover any relative positionin suitable to the separating of the two boies of mercury over the rim of a 0 cup of very. highly refractorymaterial with-.

out sub'ectin any other part 'of the switch other tan-t e rim and sidesof the said cup to the action of the arc formed in the making andbreaking of the circuit throu h I the swltch. Such apositioning would beor example: an electrode entering the cup "of the switch through a pointin the switch envelope directly above thecenter of the cup andterminating therein in such a manner as to position the cup properly. asby being formed into a flat disk or spiral which rests a ainst thebottom of the cup, or by being sed to the material of the cup on theinside thereof. Further I am 'not limited. to a switch in which the arccup is positioned in a wellor depression in the wall of the body of theswitch. Such cup in some formsis positioned either on the .wall of theenvelope or is suspended from the 0 wall as by mounting it to theelectrode which terminates within itfor supported by the other electrodeto which it is mounted as by embedding such electrode. in the out- Alsowhen necessary, I supply the interior of my switch with a filling of agas such as hydrogen, nitro en, etc., for the proper extinguishing o thearc and for the con- 6 ductionof heat therefrom.

v Furthermore, an embodiment of said switch, when deemed I fire polishthe rim' 'ofgthe member 9 to improve its are resisting lualities. And inother embodiments where; esired, I'mak'ethe wall of the cup 9. 5 hollowand circulate 'a cooling medium through the hollow portion thereof, saidcooling mediiimserving to carr heat of the are that is dissipated incontact with it. As will be readily understood this embodiment isparticularly useful in breaking currents of large magnitude as comps.

with those now in common use. 7

Furthermore for some uses I make the cup.9 of ordinary vitreous materialand provide it with a rim of arc resisting' mateaway, the

rial that in thecircuit breaking process the remainder of the cu isprotected from the destructive action 0 the arc.

Furthermore I provide said cup 9 with an annular rim enveloping membersitting on the rim of the-cup 9 and held in place thereon as by theelectrode 3 which termlnates'within the cup. ahd the flan annular memberextending on t e inside and outside wall of the cup -9.

I claim: 1. In an electric device com ising a container, electrodestherein and liquid conducting material therein adapted to open of the a,current flow therethrough bev I the electrode terminating therein andthe envelope wall.

2. In an electric device comprising a eontainer, electrodes therein anda liquid con-" ducting material therein adaptedtoopen and v close acircuit between said electrodes through the container and means forinsuring the making and breaking of contact in saidcontainer at a pointremote from the walls of said container, said means he held in positionin the container by" one 0 said electrodes and the container wall. 3. Anelectric switch of the liquid flow type comprisinga sealed envelope,merc in said envelope, electrodes sea ed throng the wall of saidenvelope and extending below\the .;surfaces of said mercury in a closedposition of the switch and a cup of refractory material about the end'of one of said electrodes, said cup being held in place by the saidelectrode and the envelope 1 wall.

- 4. All electric switch of the liquid flow type comprising a sealedenvelope, mer' in said envelope, electrodessealed thro the wall of saidenvelope and extendigg below the, surface of said mercury in a closposition of the switch and a cup of fused silica about the end of one ofsaid elec-' trodes, said cup being held. in place by the I saidelectrode and the envelope-wall. v

5.- In an electricdevice comprising a container, a sealed envelope,mercury in said a.

positioned about the end of one of said elec-- trodes and held in placeby said electrode and the envelope wall.

6. An electric switch of the liquid flow a sealed envelope, mercury insaid envelop, electrodes sealed through the wall of said envelope andextending below the surface of said mercury in the.

closed position of the switch, and a cup of refractor material about theend of one of said e ectrodes, said electrodes serving to holili saidcup in position against the envelope ,wa

7. An electric switch of the liquid flow type comprising a sealedenvelope, mercur in said envelope, electrodes sealed throng the wall ofsaid envelope and extending below the surface of said mercury in aclosed position of the switch, and a cup of refractory material aboutelectrodes, said electrode being formed to hold the cup in position.

Signed at Hoboken in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this31 of J anuary 1924' RoY D MAILEY the end of one of said

